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Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and built by
Asshur the son of Shem Genesis, x. II, "Out of
that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh."
It was one of the largest cities in the world. In
Jonah’s time it was a city of three day’s journey, or
would require him three days to go through it,
proclaiming its overthrow. It then had about one
hundred and twenty thousand infants in it, whom we
cannot suppose above the eighth or tenth part of its
inhabitants: one learned writer says it was sixty
miles in circumference ; and another writer says it
was larger than Babylon. It was surrounded by a
wall about two hundred feet high, and so thick,
that three-chariots abreast might have been driven
along the top; on the wall were built one thousand
five hundred towers, each two hundred feet higher
than the wall; this city was very early noted for
the Wealth, idolatry, and Whoredom.
Fearing that the Lord might forbear punishing
them if they repented, and, so seemingly tarnish
his honour, Jonah shipped himself at Joppa for
Tarshish, when a storm quickly pursued the ship
wherein he was. The heathen mariners awaked him,
and required him to call on his God for deliverance,
Lots being cast to discern for whose sake the, storm
arose, the lot fell on Jonah; who with shame con-
fessed his guilt to the mariners, and desired them
to cast him into the sea, that the: storm might be
stayed, which with reluctance, they were at last
obliged to do ; whereon the Storm immediately ceased.
A large fish swallowed up Jonah, and retained him
safe in her belly for three days. There he earnestly
prayed to the; Lord, at whose command the fish
Vomited him alive on dry land. His orders to warn
the Ninevites Of there approaching destruction were
immediately renewed, and all obedient, he hasted to
that vast city, he travelled into it above a days jour-
ney denouncing judgment, if they did not repent with-
